I'm from a small two-story house on Heatherwood Circle
from mild Summers and freezing Winters
from snow days and hot chocolate to bike rides every morning and evening

I'm from Olmsted Falls ISD where there are four different schools for elementary school here
from Helping Hands and computer lab
from everyone in the class is invited to birthday parties
from a surprise visit from Ronald McDonald

I'm from Kids First Daycare
from Summers of fun and field trips
from taking the wagon to the other grades to collect their leftover food
from the best lunches I've ever received from a school; Buttered Noodles, meatloaf, spaghetti and meatballs
from kind teachers and amazing friends I'd watch movies with while we waited for our parents to pick us up. We never got to finish Wall-E

I'm from change
from moving
from new friends, new house, new school
I’m from new
I’m from restarting

I'm from not-so-happy endings
from ups and downs that made me a better person
from learning how to make the most of my current situation
I'm from New Beginnings

I listen to point of view
Eyelids opened so wide
I never see until too late
Thoughts moseying through your mind
I hear your message with ears
Try practicing what you preach
So I witness joy cover your face
Gentle ways you cannot seem to teach
When fingers lace together
Forget our friction for awhile
Avoiding conflict best as I can
Still fail to make you smile
Refuse to learn from mistakes
Present is clouded by dread
Human histories breed hesitation
Future is dangling from a thread
Tired of being the erroneous one
Doomed to displease from the start
Afraid of ruining intimacy
How easily I fall apart
When you're less than perfect
Stop treating you like the enemy
The truth is I don't deserve you
Swear I'll change and become a better me

T-rust lost.
I-ronically hopeful.
R-espectfully alone.
E-ndlessly worried.
D-irty promises.

conundrum: an intricate and difficult problem


He was having conundrum
 with his Life Expectations.
He had No degrees, 
no diploma or a set
firm Education.
He knew certain crafts,
 but people did laugh; but
he still had a firm
 Foundation. He knew ABC's and 
123's,  For, Carpentry was his niche,
 He worked hard for his degree, and
He got it with ease and now 
He is making it.


B. R.
Date: 01/12/2023

so many once here
have now disappeared
long gone into the white

rambled and veered
on to paths unclear
faded from all sight

their bark was their bite
but this dark toothless blight
has quickly 'come revered

so we write
that we might be a light tonight
in lieu of the disappeared

the key went
in the lock
easily enough
with no resistance
in the cylinder
nor any loose pins
catching inside
yet try as i might
it would not turn
all three keys
were the same
identical in height
of teeth and
depth of notch
i could not have
picked the wrong one
still the deadbolt
was unmoved and
would not let me
into my own home

New day, with dawn of rising sun
off the docks, cruising towards horizon
light and breezy all, felt like blessed by Poseidon
Skinny dipping for happiness, hope I find some.

Many I got bon voyage, many I curses,
many were on board, many kraken lurks.
Head straight, high sail,
ignored all, focused on right trail.

Pleasant journey until now, premonitions around,
dark clouds, high tide, ensuing panic in crowd,
blinded became Travis, undermined the upcoming crisis
Darkness engulfed, realized too late, next moment...  

**** hit the fan down came the rain,
followed by storm and a huge hurricane.
Bulldozed through, but that's just iceberg's tip,
it's gonna be titanic soon, already feel like losing grip.

Beyond horizon, can't see,
calm sea or whirlpool will there be.
All I know, strength of these sails,
sailors and that mysterious gentle gale.

There are times I turn to the river,

when life roils and churns like the rapids,

and I remember what the river has always

known when it heaves and ebbs, and runs

swiftly by, carrying broken branches just

as abraded stones appear as polished gems